The Santa Fe Trail

The Santa Fe Trail was a 18th Century transportation route through central North America that connected Franklin, MO to Santa Fe, NM.  It runs through all of Kansas and parts of Oklahoma and southeastern Colorado down into Santa Fe, NM.  It was pioneered in 1821 by William Becknell and it served as a vital commercial highway.  It was a dangerous highway due to Indian attacks, snakes and the weather.  Today you can still take the Santa Fe Trail in your car just drive Highway 24, 56 and 50.  We drove several miles of the Santa Fe Trail and it was hard to understand what it would be like in a horse and wagon.  Wow!